Happy Holiday!

Wishing you all a happy holiday! :)

The Best Of 2010

I have had very good to terribly bad experiences with the skin care products and cosmetics I have bought/tried in 2010. Here are my 5 best products of 2010.

#1 - Clarisonic Mia
I've been using Mia for 2 months now. I've written a review earlier. My skin conditions has improved so much. I haven't had any breakouts except for one or two hormonal pimples on my chin. It makes my skin so smooth and my old acne brown spots are slowly fading.

#2 - Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser
The best cleanser. Hands down. It's so gentle to my sensitive skin. I use it with Mia everyday.

#3 - MAC Black Line Pearlglide Eyeliner
I can't get enough of this eyeliner. I'm addicted! It's so creamy, easy to glide on, waterproof and long-lasting. Oh, did I mention it's so easy to blend?

#4 - Make Up For Ever HD Foundation
My everyday foundation (shade 123). I've been using this since February this year. It doesn't clog my pores or break me out. I like foundation with medium coverage, this one works great on me.

#5 - Maybelline Colossal Volum' Express Mascara (waterproof)

My holy grail mascara. It doesn't crump, doesn't flake, waterproofed and it holds my curls until I remove it.

What are you 5 best products of 2010?

Christmas Is In The Air

Like most of the European countries, CZ is also experiencing unusual cold winter this year. I moved here in 2006 and have never seen so much snow in Prague before. It started snowing on 27 November. It came really early this year.

Hubby and I spent our weekend in Vienna. I've been to Vienna a few times before but was never there in winter. The Christmas markets are 'must-see' in Vienna. We went to the one in Rathausplatz where you get to see the infamous - heart tree. It's really.... cute! I tried taking photos of the tree but they turned out crappy. I only brought my 18-55mm lens with me and left the 55-200mm at home. I was too lazy to carry my camera bag.

We only spent around an hour at the Christmas market, got our punsch and langos, bought some cookies and we went to a restaurant for some Viennese cuisine. It was -8°C that evening. Brrr... cold!

Here are some of my favourite photos I've taken :) Enjoy!



It's really crowded there!


Lovely ornaments. The price started as low as 1€

I wish I could have bought one of these


My favourite shot - Rathausplatz


My punsch and langos.


2,40€/100g for these yummy cookies.

My First Asos Order

I've never bought anything from Asos before.I wear EU34 for the top but EU36 for trousers/skirts. Sometimes I fit into a pair of EU34 trousers for some brands but I've to wear EU36 for others (especially Zara and Mango). That's why it's always better for me to try the clothes on before buying them.

I finally made my first Asos purchase last week. I ordered a Ri2k bag and it arrived within a week! I've never heard of Ri2k before. It's a British designer brand. I was looking for a simple bag for everyday use, something not too expensive so that I won't feel sad when it's under the snow/rain and I found it on Asos. My designer bags are back in their dustbags for the season.

It is smaller than the Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM and is bigger than my other Coach tote. That makes it a perfect everyday bag for work.

There is plenty of room in the bag to hold my stuffs. The leather is really soft and the craftsmanship is good. The bag also comes with a detachable across body strap but I'm not sure if I'll ever use that. The retail price is £125.00 but it's on discount, so I paid only £64 for the bag and it's shipped free :) Asos is now offering free international shipping! The only disappointment I've is it doesn't come with a dustbag.

Lush Smitten Handcream

I started using LUSH products since 2002. I love their bath ballistics and bubble bar slices. I've also tried Dream Cream and Dreamwash which are both great products. I was at LUSH in April to pick up some bath ballistics. The sales assistant recommended Smitten Handcream, I was told it worked very well for dry hands. I really liked the scent so I decided to give it a try.

It comes in a 100ml jar. Like Dream Cream, it's not that thick. I like handcream that isn't too heavy.

I was using this handcream religiously for one month and did not notice any difference. My hands were still dry, so I stopped using it.

I decided to give it another chance again. I use it more often and it really does moisturize my skin and keeps it soft. *thumbs up* 

What I don't like about this product?

- It's so greasy. 

Will I buy it again?

Maybe. I've read that LUSH is going to discontinue this product. I still see them at the LUSH store I usually buy my stuffs from last week. It's a great product but I've tried other handcreams that work really well on me, like L'Occitane Shea Butter Handcream which can be a little bit too pricey for its size.

NOTD: China Glaze International Flare

International Flare is one of my first China Glaze nail polishes. It's a pretty mid-tone pink with shimmer, looks like a metallic finish in the bottle but when applied, it's not. This colour is a bit sheer on the first coat, I only applied 2 coats here.

What's In My Bag/Makeup Bag?

DH always asks, 'Why is your handbag so heavy?' I don't have many things in my bag but this little makeup bag carries some of my everyday makeup essentials.

My Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene Neverfull MM is my 'bag of the week'. I bought this bag from LV in Hong Kong, thinking it would be cheaper to get it there. I was wrong... It's in fact cheaper to buy LV purses here in Prague. Lesson learned.

What's in my bag?
- Tokidoki cosmetic pouch from Sephora I bought a few weeks ago.
- Coach Jewel Medium Skinny wallet
- Prada sunglasses
- Blackberry Curve
- iPod Nano and USB cable
- Dettol hand sanitiser

What's the Tokidoki cosmetic pouch, you ask?

MAC Blot Powder & Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets
It's not in its original packaging (*points at MAC Prep+Prime) because I broke it when I was in Melbourne last autumn (that's what happened when you're touching up and on the phone with your mom asking if you'd be home for dinner!). This is my 5th Blot Powder. I've combination skin with oily T-zone. This product keeps shine under control. I always apply it on my face with the MAC 168SE after using Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets to remove excess oil on my T-zone.

Blush of The Day - Stark Naked

I love MAC blushes. It's not easy to decide which one to use for day but it has to be something that will go well with my outfits, of course. It's all about Peachykeen this week. I love the colour and shimmers (not too much) gives my cheeks a nice glow.

Lipstick/Lipgloss of The Day - MAC Sweetie Lipstick & MAC Nice Kitty Lipglass
When I went ot check out the Hello Kitty, I thought Nice Kitty looked hideous - it looks neon pink in the tube! I tried it on and it actually didn't look that bad. Sweetie lipstick is lustre finish, a medium pink colour. It's great for everyday looks.

MAC Cremestick Liner in Gingerroot
I carry this one with me everyday. It's one of my 2 lip liner (yes, I only own 2, the other one is MAC Subculture). Gingerroot is close to my natural lip colour, sometimes I use it alone under a clear lipglass.

Lipbalm - Vaseline (not in the picture)

I've been using Vaseline lipbalms for ages. They keep my lips moisture and heals chapped lips overnight.nI usually use the unscented ones. I also bought one with cherry flavoured from Watson's in Hong Kong early this year.

Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream

My HG hand/nail care product. This product works like a charm. My cuticle looks healthier and soft after a few days using it twice a day. Bye-bye ugly, dry cuticle!

Palmer's Olive Butter Formula Concentrated CreamPicked this one up when I was in Melbourne. I love the scent and how it moistures my hands.

The other stuffs I carry everyday are The Body Shop small hairbrush, Sephora concealer brush (next to the lip liner) I use to apply as a lip brush, Oral B dental floss, mini crystal nail file, mini Victorinox Swiss Army knife, and an empty Bobbi Brow concealer container (because of the mirror, I don't like bigger mirrors).

NOTD: Essence Walk Of Fame

I picked up some Essence nail polish early this month. I wanted to do a review but I haven't had the time to post anything! I got Essence Walk Of Fame, Movie Star (1,20€ each), Trendsetter (1,60€) and Matte Top Coat (2€) from Douglas. I've never tried Essence nail polishes before and they're really cheap.

Matt Top Coat, Trendsetter, Walk Of Fame, Movie Star

I'm in love with Walk Of Fame. It's a beautiful taupe with purple undertone. This colour is a 3 coater with smooth application. I like the brush too, it makes the application really easy and neat. The polish also dries pretty fast. The only downside is, it chips easily. I applied 3 coat of Walk Of Fame and finished with a coat of Sache Vite top coat.

MAC A Tartan Tale Haul

Went to the A Tartan Tale Chapter 1 collection for Holiday 2010 pre-launch event on Monday. The Chapter 2 collection will be officially released here in December only but we got to see/buy them yesterday. I mentioned I was thinking of the lipsticks but I got none of them! They're very pretty in person but when I swatched them on my pigmented lips, they look pretty awful on me.

I got myself Black Line and Undercurrent Pearlglide eyeliners, Passing Fancy and The Swinging Violet Mineralize kit.

I've never bought any eye liner from MAC before. When I saw Black Line Pearglide eyeliner, I told myself  must have it! I'm a big fan of soft long-lasting pigmented eyeliners. I love green eye liner, this one is very dark olive green with gold shimmer. Undercurrent is teal green with gold sheen,  a very lovely colour.

Passing Fancy Dazzleglass Creme is a lovely sheer peach shade. It gives my lips a light peach tint when wearing it alone. I wanted Gone Romancin' but I was a second too late because another lady bought the last one! I hope I will be able to find it in the other two stores.

The Swinging Violet Mineralize kit consists of Bare Study Paint Pot, Earthly Riches Mineralize eyeshadow duo, Icescape Lipglass and a mini Zoom Lash mascara.

It was Earthly Riches that caught my eyes. I didn't have any dark eyeshadows in my collection and this one is so pretty. I've always wanted to try Paint Pot (I only use Paint) and Bare Study looks like the shade I will use everyday.

Clarisonic Mia Review

I wash my face twice a day, exfolite twice a week and have facial in the salon once a month but I still feel that's not enough. I had pretty good skin before I started wearing makeup everyday in 2007. I occasionally have one or two pimples due to hormones. I've been struggling with breakouts since mid-2008. I didn't change my skin care or makeup but I keep getting pimples, especially on my cheeks.

I've seen a dermatologist who told me I've sensitive skin and should only use products that are gentle. I've tried different brands but none really worked, I still have breakouts! I read about Clarisonic on the internet in 2008. I never really paid attention on such products because I always thought they're such a waste of money. It was desperation that lead me to get one because I really didn't know what else I could do for my skin.

I was a little skeptical about this product. In the end, I decided to give it a try. Hubby was in the US again for business so I got him to go to Sephora to pick one up for me. It came with a charger, a sensitive brush and a travel size Clarisonic cleanser.

The sensitive brush is really gentle for me. The routine with the brush only takes 60 secs. I take it with me to the shower twice a day. I use my regular cleansers - Cetaphil in the mornings, La Roche Posay EFFACLAR Purifying Foaming Gel in the evenings. I noticed my skin's indeed softer after the first use. I don't have big pores and they aren't usually very visible so I don't really see any difference on my pores size.

I've been using Mia for 2 weeks now and I could see my skin is getting better. I was sitting in front of my vanity one morning, getting ready to put on some makeup, I noticed my kinda glowy skin. I'm no kidding! It's no longer as dull as it looked like before.

You've probably read that Clarisonic may cause breakouts when you first using it. It happened to me but it wasn't that bad. Before using Mia, I had a few black/white heads around my lower cheek and chin area, remember this post? The Body Shop Seaweed scrub did a great job removing a few of them but they kept coming back. My skin is now smooth and soft. It's definitely getting better, there are only a few acne scars.

I'm in love with my Mia. I can't imagine living without it. It's worth the money. Most importantly, it works and my skin condition is getting so much better.

MAC Holiday 2010 A Tartan Tale Collection

I received another text message from MAC today, in Czech, of course. It's an invitation for the new holiday collection launch. Google Translator is new my best friend. I stopped by to see my MA today and got myself and a friend registered for the event. Hopefully my friend will be able to make it. I'm so looking forward to going there next Monday!

I'm quite excited with the collection. MAC's holiday collections are always the most beautiful collection in the year. Ok, maybe not Magic Mirth and Mischief because I only went home with Conjure Up, Partial To Pink and Total Wow!. So far, my most favourite holiday collection is Red She Said (2008).

Anyway, I think I'm going to skip the eye shadows and the blushes. I'm eyeing on Cut-a-Caper, The Faerie Glen and Courting Lilac. I'm not sure about the kits yet. I've to see them in person. I'm very sure I'll be skipping the palettes too. I'm not a fan of eye shadows palettes or should I say any palettes? The only one I own is Hello Kitty Too Dolly palette which I've only used twice since I bought it during the HK launch.

What did you get from A Tartan Tale Collection?

Busy!

The weather's crazy... and I've been sick since Tuesday. I've probably caught a cold when hubby and I were on our weekend getaway in a castle some 50km from the city. Work's keeping me really busy, that explains why I've been working from home these few days even when I'm sick! I'm also preparing for my upcoming certification exam for supply chain professional. I think I'm pretty screwed because I haven't read many of the topics yet.

We had first snow on Monday for 2 mins! It can't be snowing in Oct! That's what hubby thought. When I told him, 'Look! It's snowing!' He said, 'You're dreaming. They're dandelion seeds!' When it started snowing heavier, he knew he was wrong :D I'm really not ready for the snow yet.

I've some entries waiting to be published but I need at least some daylight for a good photo because it's already dark when I'm home from work. I do have a Nikon SB-400 speedlight flash but am to lazy to look for the rechargeable batteries somewhere in the other room.

The in-laws are visiting tomorrow and our place is ugh... in a mess! Need to clean :(

My Little Haul

... but I didn't pay for it ;) DH's back from D.C yesterday. He's on business trip in Canada/USA for 1 1/2 weeks. He travels to the US a few times a year and he doesn't mind going shopping for me. He knows nothing about women's cosmetics and skin care, all he has to do is to show the list to Sephora or MAC sales assistants what he wants to buy.

He's very supportive with my cosmetics addiction. I've never asked any money from him to buy my cosmetics. He thinks I deserved to be spoiled *lol* In return, he gets books like Million Dollars Consulting from me which is useful for me too since we're both consultants but in different fields.

What came home with him yesterday...

I've been lemming for Clarisonic Mia for a while now. I got the pink one *yay* I can't wait to try it tonight!

My second 187 brush. I'll be using this one for blushes. I love MAC 187! It's so soft and it's the best brush for liquid foundation and blushes (at least for me). Sigma 188 is another favourites of mine for foundation.

I'm running out of my No.1 black eye liner - Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil in Zero and MAC Brow Set. I usually order UD from HQhair but Zero's been out of stock on the site for quite almost 2 months now. I don't think I want to wait any longer and I've no idea when it will be back in stock even though it's cheaper to buy from them.

MAC Venomous Villain Bite Of An Apple

Bite Of An Apple is a matte bright coral pink blush. It's my first matte blush from MAC. The colour looks quite scary in the pan, that's why I walked away when I first saw it! When I stopped by at MAC the second time, my favourite MA was at work and we tried it on me. When applied on my cheeks, it's coral on my NC35 skin. It's a very pigmented colour, you really need to apply it with a light hand. I personally prefer MAC 187 or 165 for this blush.

I don't have anything similar in my collection and I really like this blush on me. I'm not really a fan of the packaging but it doesn't really bother me.

Swatches under daylight. My skin is dry during this time of the year ;(

NOTD: China Glaze Short and Sassy

Have you noticed that 95% of my NOTD are China Glaze polishes? That's because it's my favourite brand!

I just got this one from Trans Design last month. I saw a few swatches on some blogs and it looked like something I would love to wear. I wasn't disappointed when I tried it for the first time.

Short and Sassy is one of the shades from China Glaze Retro Diva collection. It's a 2-coaters. Gorgeous garnet with shimmers. It doesn't really look garnet in this picture due to the lighting. It's darker in person, another great shade for the colder months :)

MAC Venomous Villain Haul

Briar Rose Beauty Powder was the only item I bought on Venomous Villain launch day. I went back to MAC again a few days later and picked up Bite Of An Apple blush and Revenge Is Sweet lipglass.
These items are the only ones I found interesting from this collection. Ok, maybe Hot House too which I'm still thinking if I should grab one. Overall, this collection is beautiful. I'm a bit disappointed with the eyeshadows though. They're not that interesting for me.

MAC has launched a few really cute collections such as Fafi, Hello Kitty, Barbie, and now the Disney Villains. I wish MAC will launch Jem collection one day. That will be awesome! :D

What did you get from this collection?

Gosh Velvet Touch Eye Liner Waterproof

It's 10/10/10 today!! :) Happy Sunday, lovelies! It's sunny and surpringly not too cold today. DH is still in D.C this week, that explains why this weekend's been pretty boring for me. I can't wait till he's back home in a few days.

I don't wear full makeup everyday. My everyday makeup consists of foundation, powder, blush, lipstick, mascara and filling in my brows. When I'm not feeling extremely lazy, I'll wear eyeliner. I love them but I've watery eyes and oily lids. Non-waterproof eyeliners smudge and crease like crazy on me. That's why you'll find heaps of waterproof eyeliners in my makeup collection from high-end brands to drugstore brand like Gosh.

I was first introduced to Gosh cosmetics a few years ago. I read a lot of good reviews on Gosh Velvet Touch Eye Liners so I decided to give them a try. I only saw Gosh in the country once but I'd never buy anything from that drugstore because people would just open the products (not testers) and try them on. I've seen a few teenage girls who walked in to the store, took one of the mascara and started using them like nobody's watching. Gross, I know! That's why I prefer to shop at Tesco where most of the cosmetics are on locked display shelves. I haven't seen Gosh here for a long time and I guess it's been discontinued? I bought mine from Slovakia where DH is from.

How do I like Velvet Touch liners? They're great eyeliners for 6,50€. The liners are very pigmented, soft, creamy, glide on quite smoothly and waterproof! They're long-lasting and don't crease on my lids. They come in many colours but I only have a few of them. My mission is to get more colours the next time I'm in the store :)

Here are the colour swatches I currently own. I love 007 Alligator, it's my most recent purchase.

Are you a fan of Velvet Touch liners too?

NOTD: China Glaze Bogie

China Glaze Bogie, another fabulous shade from the fall 2010 Vintage Vixen collection. It's dark plum with silver shimmer. It's a very unique colour and I don't have anything close to this shade in my collection.

I applied 2 coats and Seche Vite top coat. Application is smooth and the polish dries fast.

Viva Glam Cyndi Lipglass

When I first saw Viva Glam Cyndi lipglass swatches on some blogs, I knew I must get it. It was available launched on 1 October. When I saw Cyndi in person, I wasn't sure about the colour! I tried it on and wow!

Cyndi lipglass looks reddish coral. It does look bold in the tube, but when applied, it's not. I've very pigmented lips and Cyndi looks like a tinted lipgloss on them when I wear it alone. The other reason why I love Cyndi is the smooth texture and it's not as sticky as the usual MAC lipglasses.

Gaga lipglass is light blue pink but I prefer the lipstick. Do you know that 100% of MAC Viva Glam profit goes to MAC AIDS funds? If you're looking for some nice lip colours this fall, try the Viva Glam collections.

What are your favourite lip colours for fall?

The Body Shop Seaweed Pore-Cleansing Facial Exfoliator

I've tried several facial scrubs, including Neutrogena Blackhead Eliminating Daily Scrub and St.Ives Apricot Scrub Gentle. I didn't like St.Ives Apricot Scrub because it's a bit too harsh for me even the one for sensitive skin. It's been sitting in my bathroom cabinet for 3 years. When I tossed it in the bin last week, there was still 90% of the product in the tube.

I was at The Body Shop having the itch to buy something but didn't know what to get. Doesn't that happen to you too? The salesperson recommended this scrub so I decided to give it a try.

I've been using it twice a week and I really like it. It doesn't dry my skin and I find it quite gentle. I squeeze about 1cm of the scrub and apply it all over my face and massage gently in circular motion until it gets a bit dry and then rinse it with water. The particles are almost the same size, or maybe slightly smaller than Apricot Scrub but definitely finer and more gentle to the skin.

I was surprised the first time I used this scrub. It removed 3 of my white heads. I've been getting some white/blackheads on my chin area recently and I've no idea why! It also removes dead skin flakes which no other scrubs I've tried before without making my skin red.

Are you using this product too? How do you like it? Do you have any favourite scrub which you'll recommend me to try?

MAC Venomous Villain: Briar Rose Beauty Powder

I was eagerly anticipating the launch of MAC Venomous Villain and I finally saw the products in person yesterday. After seeing Kristie's swatches, I thought I'd go for Her Own Devices and Heartless. I wasn't sure about Heartless when I tried it on. Her Own Devices looks lighter than I thought and I was afraid it might not even show up on me. Devilishly Stylish, Toxic Tale and Strange Potion were eye-catchers for me. Bite Of An Apple is an unique blush but I didn't like it on me.

In the end, I went home happily with Briar Rose from Maleficent collection. It was love at first sight. I didn't have anything similar. I know it looks nothing close to Well-Dressed but it somehow reminds of me of the blush my MUA used on me on my wedding day. I knew she's used Well-Dressed but when I swatched it in the store, there's no way the blush would show up on my NC35 skin! She's probably used a darker shade under Well-Dressed.

Briar Rose is cool-tone, violet pink. It gives a very natural looks (light pink) when apply lightly on my cheeks. I think it will be great to use Briar Rose as a highlight with Stark Naked and Dollymix.

Urban Decay Naked Palette on HQhair

I can't believe I've joined the Naked madness... I've just pre-ordered two Naked Palette on HQhair a few mins ago. I've been checking the site for the past month and they're finally stocking up these palettes!

So, girls in Europe, what are you waiting for? :) If you've never heard of or purchased anything from HQhair before, don't worry, it's a legit site. I've bought so many stuffs from them in the past years and they've great customer services. Make sure you sign up for their newsletters as they always have some great discounts/values every week. Oh, they ship internationally, not just within Europe.

Disclaimer: No, HQhair doesn't pay me for this. I'm just one happy customer who wants to spread the words.

NOTD: China Glaze Foxy

Another one from China Glaze' Vintage Vixen collection. Foxy is a deep copper brown with red undertones and orange shimmers. Haven't I told you how much I love CG polishes with shimmers? :) This is a lovely shade for autumn! I applied 2 coats and Seche Vite topcoat.

Vacation, vacation, vacation!

I'm cleaning my HD and found lots of photos which are yet to be edited. Most of them are from my business trips and vacations, places I've been to in the past 12 months.

September 2009 - Dubai, UAE

I was in Dubai at the client's for a week. Despite the fact that I worked almost 10hrs a day, I really enjoyed my stay in Dubai. The temperature and humidity were a little bit too much but I got used to it quickly. Since it is the Ramadan month, shopping malls are open till 1am. After leaving the office around 7pm, we usually headed to the malls (The Dubai Mall, The Mall of Emirates, Festival Center) before going for dinner at Madinat Jumeriah.

Madinat Jumeriah is so beautiful, it feels very unreal. I hope I got to see it during the daytime. There are many good restaurants around serving all types of cuisine, the prices is very reasonable and cheaper than what we usually pay for fine dining in Europe. Dubai is an amazing city, it is definitely worth a visit.

October 2009 - Melbourne, Australia
Went back to Australia with DH for a vacation and to see my family. We were there for a short 10 days... We went on a roadtrip with my parents to Mornington and Phillips Islands, shopping with my sisters, had a little catch up with an old friend, had way too many meat pies (my mom thought I was nuts)... The trip was a really short but a great one. For the first time in my life, I didn't cry when saying good-bye to my family.

February 2010 - Hong Kong
DH had to go to Hong Kong for business in early February. He took me along this time as an early birthday present. I was thrilled! HK has been on my 'must visit' list for a very long time. Since DH had to work during the daytime, I explored HK on my own. HK is a shopping paradise, need I say more? I love Harbour City!! Since my birthday was only a few days away, I treated myself a Louis Vuitton Damier Neverfull. It's indeed cheaper in HK. I’ve been to LV stores in different countries, the ones in HK surprised me the most. There were a lot of people. All the sales assistants were so busy. I stood there for 10mins because there were another 6 people in front of me asking to see the bags on the display shelves.

I also went to Faces to check out some makeup. I only bought some Bobbi Brown and MAC (Riveting collection was launched that day). I went to SaSa almost everyday to get more Japanese makeup/skin care. SaSa is almost in every corner in HK.

August 2010 - Vienna, Austria

I was there in August 2007 with some girlfriends. We didn't get to see much of Vienna. I went there again with my family when they came to our wedding in summer. It's one of my favourite cities I've visited. It's another city so crowded with tourists but it's really beautiful there.

September...

I've been feeling under the weather for a few days and finally fell sick on Saturday evening. Am staying at home today so that I won't spread the flu bugs in the office. Luckily tomorrow is a bank holiday here so I get to rest more and perhaps, post more entries!

I like September. The weather gets cooler (I'm not much of a summer heat type of girl), autumn is coming (my favourite season of the year!), DH and I have been together for 3 1/2 years and married for 2 months :)

DH turned 28 on September 2. We went trekking in high mountains. It was quite strange to see snow in the beginning of September. When I first started trekking 3 years ago, everyone thought I'd FAIL because for them, I'm a typical city girl in heels, the only time I'd WALK for hours is when I go shopping. You know how annoying it is when someone to underestimate you but isn't it sweet when you can prove them wrong? :)

Our little Yorkie broke his leg 2 weeks before our wedding. After The vet finally removed his cast and we were told his broken bones are healing fine. Now he's one happy little doggy again without the cast.

Nothing beats a picnic at the lake on one fine sunny and warm Saturday afternoon.

DH just saw me updating my blog! 'Hmm... Missa! Can I read?' NO! I guess it's time for a cuppa and some macarons.

Etude House Dear Darling Gloss

I've heard about the Korean cosmetic brand, Etude House but have never tried any of their products. I have used some Asian skin care products but not the makeup.

A friend in Seoul sent us some care package last year. There were some instant spicy noodles (yum!), Korean snacks and a tube of Etude House Dear Darling Gloss 05.



Dear Darling Gloss isn't as sticky as the MAC lipglasses I'm used to. It's glossy, goes on pretty sheer peachy pink with a little shimmer and it's fruity scented. Sometimes I wear it alone as a lip shine over my lipbalm. I also like to wear it over MAC lipsticks like Gaga and Everhip.



Overall, it is a great lipgloss and the price is great. I would definitely grab a few of these glosses if I have a chance.

Kose Seikisho Mask White

Is this a white mask or a black mask? That's my question when I saw my sister using Kose Seikisho Mask White. According to her, it's the best mask she has ever tried. It was quite disgusting to put black goo on my face for the first time but it smells really refreshing.

What I like about it?

It works wonders, at least for me and my sister. I use it once a week. It removes white heads and dead skin flakes (I always look at the mask after peeling it off my face. Weird? I know!). After using this mask for a few months, I notice my skin is clearer and fairer and soft to touch :). I leave the mask on for around 20 mins for it to dry up. I always use Kose Perfect Clear Gel before applying the mask. I will write a review on this one later.

What I don't like about it?

Peeling it off does hurt. If you have low pain tolerance this product may be suitable for you. Be careful not to apply the mask near to your eyes area and always remove it slowly. I sometimes tear up removing the mask. I'll use a damp cotton pad to remove the rest of it.

Will I repurchase Seikisho Mask White?

Definitely.